Fort Collins is a great city for artists. Not only do we have CSU, which has a fantastic program for music, theater and dance, but the city of Fort Collins also has multiple foundations and groups dedicated to the arts and to the many fans of music and art.

The Fort Collins Music Association, or FoCoMA, is one such group. Founded in 2009 by Greta Cornett and Kevin Micke, FoCoMA concentrates on local music, aiding bands with getting up on their feet.

Dead Floyd playing at the Aggie Theatre at FoCoMX 2012. Photo by Allison LeCain.

The Fort Collins Music eXperiment (FoCoMX) is a weekend long annual music festival in Fort Collins run by FoCoMA, and this year marks the fifth time around.

FoCoMX features a wide variety of local bands and music types, including (but not limited to) reggae, Latin, metal, pop, blues, jazz, electronic and rock.

â€œI love FoCoMX because it really lets me experience what our city is all about,â€ said Bradley Vogel, a Fort Collins native. This year will mark the third year in a row Bradley has attended FoCoMX.

â€œI love seeing the city, and I love hearing the music in such a friendly space,â€ Vogel said. â€œItâ€™s almost like I have a personal investment in all these bands because theyâ€™re homegrown. And I love witnessing their growth.â€

The venues widely vary and are all over Old Town Fort Collins and the northern part of the city. From bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters, FoCoMX has become a great way to get a good taste of local music in the truly unique setting of Fort Collins.

Sponsored by FoCoMA, the City of Fort Collins, the Bohemian Foundation, Odell Brewing Co., and many others, it truly is a great example of local sights and sound.

â€œIâ€™ve been looking forward to the festival ever since I first heard about it. It sounds amazing,â€ said Sarah Julie. FoCoMX5 will be her first time going to the festival.

â€œI think itâ€™s amazing how Fort Collins is so dedicated to music. This is an amazing opportunity for the bands and us fans alike,â€ Julie said.

FoCoMX5 accepts hundreds of volunteers every year, from working the door at venues, assisting with production or staging, helping with will-call and ticket stands, or even emceeing a stage. FoCoMX prides itself in allowing volunteers to help out, making it a great time for all.

FoCoMX5 is happening on the nights of April 19 and April 20. Wristbands can be purchased online at focomx.focoma.org for $20 through April 7. After that, they can be purchased online or at Rock â€˜Nâ€™ Robinâ€™s for $30. FoCoMX is for all ages, with only a few venues exclusively 18+ or 21+.